Iraq

Visas for Iraq

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs does not respond to visa enquiries concerning Iraq. For information about visa rules, please contact the Iraqi Embassy.
Tel: +46 8 411 44 43
Email: stkemb@iraqmofamail.net

Sweden's diplomatic representation

Following the gradual improvement of the security situation in Iraq over the last few years, the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad re-opened on 1 July 2009. From 2001 until the summer of 2009, Sweden's ambassador to Iraq was stationed in Amman. In December 2009, an honorary consulate was also opened in Erbil in the Iraqi region of Kurdistan. The initiative to strengthen diplomatic relations in Iraq is important for political relations, Swedish development cooperation with Iraq, Swedish companies' interests and all of the ties that exist between our countries, with more than one per cent of Sweden's population originating from Iraq. A Sida staff member and a trade secretary from the Swedish Trade Council are also stationed in Baghdad and seconded to the Embassy there.

Iraq today

In the first months following the American invasion of Iraq in 2003, the country was hit by a wave of plundering and armed attacks. At times the situation could be likened to a civil war. Since 2007 the security situation is considered to have improved. The withdrawal of US troops began in 2009 and is expected to be completed by the end of 2011.

The Iraqi population is made up of approximately 60 per cent Shia Muslims and 18 per cent Sunni Muslims. The largest ethnic minority are the Kurds, who are predominantly Sunni Muslims, the group making up almost one fifth of the population.

Iraq is a federal republic. The country adopted a new constitution in 2005 that is based on a compromise between religious and secular forces. Legislative power lies with the parliament, which consists of the lower and the upper chamber. The former Kurd politician Jalal Talabani was elected president in 2005 and re-elected in 2006. In the same year, Nouri Al-Maliki (Shia) was elected prime minister. In the 2005 election, 80 per cent of those entitled to vote did so. The parliamentary election in March 2010 is considered to have been as free and fair as possible under the current circumstances. At approximately 63 per cent, turnout was lower than in 2005, but unlike then this election was not boycotted by any group. Negotiations are under way over the formation of a government.

Iraq has the world's third largest reserves of crude oil after Saudi Arabia and Iran, and also large natural gas deposits. Despite the fact that Iraq is considered to be rich in water compared to most of the other countries in the Middle East, it is dependent on the neighbouring countries Turkey, Syria and Iran allowing sufficient volumes of water to flow into Iraq (via the Tigris and Euphrates). This dependence has repeatedly led to disputes.

Swedish and EU efforts

Sweden has been providing humanitarian support to Iraq since 1991 and was one of the largest donors in this area during the 1990s. Besides humanitarian support, reconstruction assistance was also introduced in 2004 when Sweden adopted a country strategy for development cooperation with Iraq for 2004-2009. During this period, Sweden contributed over SEK 615 million - including humanitarian support. Sweden has also written off SEK 1.5 billion of Iraqi debts to Sweden. A new Iraq strategy has been adopted for development cooperation in 2009-2014. The overall objective for Swedish development cooperation with Iraq is lasting peace in Iraq, improved living conditions and democratic development. Sweden will contribute to improving aid effectiveness by strengthening Iraqi ownership. Cooperation is focused on two sectors: democratic governance and human rights, trade, the business sector and financial systems. Sida is responsible for the implementation of the country strategy.

Sweden is also providing support via the EU's joint development assistance. In 2003-2008, the European Commission provided over EUR 933 million in humanitarian assistance and reconstruction support to Iraq. These funds have been used for areas such as building up the education system, support for civil society, the promotion of democracy and the drafting of a constitution, as well as the organisation of general elections and capacity-building in Iraqi authorities and institutions.

July 2005 saw the introduction of EUJUST LEX, the European Union's rule of law operation intended to train Iraqi police and legal officials in human rights and other issues. Over 2 000 Iraqis have already taken part in training courses. Sweden has participated by contributing instructors and providing financial aid for training courses; Sweden has also organised its own courses. EUJUST LEX has introduced a pilot phase with limited activities, some of which are taking place in Iraq.

Swedish support to the building of the justice system in Iraq has previously taken the form of training for Iraqi police officers in Jordan and support to an International Legal Assistance Consortium (ILAC) for the training of judges, lawyers and prosecutors.

Negotiations on a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the EU and Iraq were concluded by the European Commission during the Swedish Presidency in 2009. The process for Member States to ratify the agreement is expected to begin in 2010. The aim of the agreement is to strengthen the platform for cooperation on political issues such as terrorism and human rights, and trade issues and investments.

International cooperation

Swedish development assistance is partly channelled through the UN and the World Bank's International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq (IRFFI), in coordination with Iraq's national strategy and the International Compact with Iraq (ICI). The ICI, launched on 3 May 2007, is a partnership between Iraq and the international community intended to run for five years. The ICI is the only framework under Iraqi leadership for implementing reforms and mobilising the support of the international community for the country. Sweden hosted the first review conference that was held in Stockholm on 29 May 2008. The purpose of the partnership is to support the political and economic processes in Iraq that are needed to create stability and to improve the conditions for equitable and sustainable development, and to support the strengthening of democracy and respect for human rights.

Iraqi refugees

The difficult security situation in Iraq has resulted in over 2.5 million internally displaced Iraqis and up to 2 million Iraqi refugees fleeing from Iraq, above all to Syria and Jordan. There has been a large stream of Iraqis coming to Sweden in recent years. In 2007, 18 500 Iraqis sought asylum in Sweden, which is equivalent to more than half of the Iraqi asylum applications within the entire EU. In 2008 and 2009, the number of asylum applications decreased, largely because of the improved security situation in the country. More Iraqis who had left their homes have also begun to return. Since 2008, Sweden has had a readmission agreement with Iraq.

Short historical background

After the First World War, modern-day Iraq emerged. It was under British rule and comprised the three former Ottoman provinces Mosul, Baghdad and Basra. The current Kurdish area was part of the governorate of Mosul. Iraq became officially independent in 1932. The following decades were marked by considerable political unrest and British influence remained strong. In military coups in both 1963 and 1968, power was seized by the Baath Party (a nationalist, pan-Arabic party with elements of socialism). Rapidly rising oil exports helped to raise the population's standard of living. In 1979, the then leader of the Baath Party, Saddam Hussein, assumed the role of president. Due to border disputes and concern that the Islamic revolution in Iran would spread to Iraq, Iraq attacked Iran in 1980. The eight-year-long war that ensued left Iraq's economy in tatters.

The weakened economy was one of the reasons why Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990. The invasion was condemned by the UN Security Council and economic sanctions were imposed. Sanctions against Iraq continued until 2003. When they proved ineffective, a US-led UN force was formed to force the Iraqis out of Kuwait. During the Gulf War, the Kurds in the north and the Shiites instigated a revolt against the regime, which Saddam Hussein violently crushed. In 1992 the Kurds declared their self-governance in Iraqi Kurdistan. Suspicions that Iraq was preparing a nuclear weapons programme gained new momentum. Following a UN resolution in 1991, the IAEA - under the leadership of the Swede Hans Blix - was instructed to investigate the existence of a nuclear weapons programme. Before the inspectors were barred from the country in 1998, they managed to destroy the base of the nuclear weapons programme.

The political pressure in the country remained and there was still no rule of law; following the terrorist attacks in the United States in 2001 the pressure on the regime increased. Iraq's alleged contacts with the terrorist network Al Qaida, as well as incorrect information 'from within Iraq' concerning the country's weapons of mass destruction, prompted the United States and its allies to go to war. In 2003 the invasion of Iraq began. Since the collapse of the Baath regime it has emerged that it was responsible for the deaths of some 300 000 Iraqis, notably in Halabja in 1988. However, the figure is a matter of controversy.

Iraq was governed by the occupying power, the United States, until 2004, when the country regained its sovereignty and an interim government took over control of the country. Parliamentary elections were held in 2005, and in April 2006 the parliament appointed Nouri Al-Maliki as prime minister.

New parliamentary elections were held in March 2010 and negotiations on the formation of a new government are in progress.